Wondrous
by Espalier
Summary: Dani, a girl who feels utterly alone in the modern society of today, somehow becomes part of a magical experience...
1. Cheese

I've made up some of my own characters and such, but Narnia and its creatures from the books are copyrighted to C.S. Lewis.

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Dani took a quick sip of the hot chocolate she embraced, allowing the warmth to engulf her senses and provide her some comfort. She sat, her legs stretched out, on an old couch in her father's garage. Her eyes were swollen and freshly pink while there were evident trails of tears on her cheeks. Her parents had gone through a divorce recently and she had been living with her father for the most part in America, while her mother moved back to her hometown of London, England.

She never understood fully why they had spilt, or why she had to stay with her father. He couldn't possibly understand the things teenage girls went through, and she hated the fact that she had no one to confide in. In fact, the reason she sat in the garage that rainy day was because of a terrible row that had occurred between herself and her father. She had cried for a good amount of time and rather roughly through it all that she no longer even remembered what had sparked the argument.

Sniffing loudly and then gulping down some more of her drink, she reached for the bookcase near her and pulled out 3 novels. One was _Jane Eyre_, another _The Da Vinci_ _Code_, and the third was one of the _Narnia_ books. She didn't look long at it to read which one it was, for she set it back in the book case and sighed angrily. She felt certain that the stories of the four Pevensie children were unfair, since they escaped reality to live in a fantastical world while also becoming royalty. A stupid concept that would give mere young readers the hope and dreams to experience such splendour in their own daily lives.

However, Dani couldn't ignore the fact that she loved reading the Chronicles when she was younger. But now, in current times, she felt helpless and jealous of the fictional characters. It could never happen to her, and thus proved to be useless for her.

"I hate life now. I'd give anything to somehow leave this place…" She whispered to herself, wiping back strands of dark hair that stuck to the dampness of her cheeks.

"How about a piece of cheese?"

Dani nearly dropped her mug as her eyes opened wide and she sat up straight. Justa moment ago she had heard a most amusing voice, high pitched and somewhat distant.

"What? Who's there?"

The only other living thing she could see near her was a bird that was perched on one of the open window sills in the garage.

"I must be going crazy." Dani shook her head and resumed her previous position.

Then, almost immediately, a loud squeal of sound erupted miraculously, and Dani got up quickly and looked at the bird, who had no doubt caused the noise. It seemed to be laughing, somehow.

"'Twas me, of course. Who did you think?" The bird sang.

Dani had placed her drink down and was standing, frozen, staring at the creature. It's head flicked around for a few moments and then it flew toward her. Dani screamed and nearly fell over the couch.

"Oh, now, no need to be frightened," it said while finding a perch place on the book case. "I only asked for some cheese."

"Birds don't eat cheese." Dani didn't know why that was the only thing she was able to say at that moment.

"Why of course we do! We love cheese. I prefer blue cheese, my favourite."

Dani put a hand to her forehead and made a move to leave the garage.

"No, wait!" The bird said, jumping up and down. "I can help you in your distress! I heard your cries for quite a while now…I couldn't help but also catch what you said to yourself…Please, I can help."

"How?" Dani said, surprised at her own interest.

"I can take you to a place of peace and wondour. A place where you can live jubilantly. Ell, if you're permitted. I'm sure you've heard of it…but none of your kind has ever set foot there besides four others, long ago, by your time standards."

Dani laughed. "Right. And I'd like to see Santa Clause while we're on the way, thanks," she spat sarcastically.

"That can be arranged."

The girl's eyes were wide with disbelief now. The bird was serious. "What place is this you talk about?"

"Narnia, of course."

Dani froze yet again for a full minute.

"It's…it's not real."

"That's offensive," the bird screeched.

"But…"

"No buts! I was sent here to fetch you, and whether you like it or not, you're coming!"

"Fetch me? What?"

"Oh, please don't ask any further questions. I've tried to be patient enough already. I believe your name is Dani. I am Tilk and I will show you the way to get into Narnia. But first, I'd like some cheese."


	2. Into Narnia

The bird picked happily at the cheese Dani had provided, every now and then singing happily to himself. They sat in Dani's room now, she sprawled out on her bed and he on her desk. She was in a state of disbelief still, but it slowly started to grow easy for her to accept. In a good 45 minutes, the bird had finished and made a satisfied chirp.

"Right then. Back to the place I first found you," Tilt said, bouncing forward and then flying out of the room.

"The garage?" Dani called, a little confused.

Once they were there again, the bird pecked at the book case. It took Dani several moments to realize that he was pecking at the Narnia book she had made contact with earlier.

"What?" She said, "What about it?"

"Well open it to page 48 and you'll get to Narnia!"

Dani couldn't help but laugh, but she stopped shortly after seeing the angry look on the bird's face. It's feathers were a nice shade of brown with slight tints of red, and its beak a brilliant tone of orange. His eyes were intense and beady.

"Alright." She walked forward and took a seat on the couch, pulling the book out and then looking at it. It was The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. _Typical, _she thought. She opened it up and flipped through the pages slowly, still not sure what she was getting herself into. And then, as if Tilt read her mind, he chirped gruffly and said, "Go on."

Two pages, and then she was at 48. Nothing happened. Dani smiled. She began to stand but had to stop halfway, seeing a light emit from the page.

And the next thing she knew, she lay flat on her back in tall green grass. Her first instinct was to scream, but she couldn't make any noise. She sat up quickly and was shaking slightly, her eyes wide and the hazel colour almost yellow. Tilt began to sing happily and a flock of birds immediately joined him from a thick forest near them. Dani wanted to go home already.

"Look! See! I told you I'd be successful…I told you." Tilt flapped around with his friends.

"Yes, oh my, she's so _odd…"_

They made such a racket. Soon other animals began to gather around her, in the middle of this little field, forming a sort of circle. They talked amongst each other and whispered excitedly. A moment later, a raccoon stepped forward and made his way to her, standing right by one of her legs.

"A centaur will be here soon. He'll take you to Cair Paravel."

Dani tried to smile and felt as if she must've failed, for he did not return it. A centaur? A _real_ centaur?

"Daughter of Eve," a rumbling, musical voice suddenly broke out loudly amongst them. Dani stood quickly and turned to see a mighty creature, about 7 feet tall, with a muscular torso of a man and the body of a horse. "I am Kilnon. The High King Peter has sent for you, as have Queen Susan, King Edmund, and Queen Lucy. I am to take you to Cair Paravel swiftly. If you would be so cooperative as to come along…"

Dani couldn't speak and only nodded, using a kind turtle as a stepping stone to climb up and ride the centaur. She held onto his waist and felt very embarrassed.

"Farewell, Daughter of Eve! Farewell!" The animals laughed and shouted happily, some saying "Dani" and others singing songs.


	3. Eventually

Thank you for the reviews, my dears! 33

You're what keeps me going.

Sorry I take so long to update.

Sunlight seeped in through the curtained windows, creating a soft glow of rays within the room in which Dani lay, eyes close din peace. Near an hour ago, Kilnon the Centaur had arrived at Cair Paravel with a Daughter of Eve on his back, completely asleep. She was quickly tended to, carried up to one of the guest rooms to a soft bed.

When word reached the two kings and two queens about her arrival, they grew terribly excited to speak to her at once. But since she was asleep, they had to show some respect and understood that it had been a long ride for her.

"She must be in some state of shock, really…" Queen Susan said, running a hand through her long, shiny hair. She often did this when she thought out loud.

"Yes, yes, perhaps. But surely she knew that she would come here some time?" King Edward replied, his dark features contorted in confusion. The four sat and talked about it awhile, all in their thrones and curiously wondering.

Dani woke with a start. She sat bolt upright and gasped after a moment, once her eyes could take in her surroundings more clearly. She sat on a bed, but not only a bed, but a huge mattress that was about 4 feet high and extremely cushiony. The sheets were a peach color, while the thick covers were lacy and a light pink. There was a canopy as well, and the walls of the room were peachy and flowery. There were gold accessories everywhere, the bed frame, the lining of the furniture…and there was a beautiful wooden treasure chest that matched the clean shine of the other wooden furniture …She couldn't believe her eyes. She knew it was a dream.

And then she remembered the bird in her garage and what had happened. Could she be in Narnia? She made to move the covers off her body, but first looked down at what she was wearing. She sighed in relief as she saw that she was still in her own clothes. The thought of someone dressing her when she didn't know was terrifying to her. She then she threw off the covers and gingerly stepped off the bed, her eyes still wandering all over the room. The floors were so soft and feather, a nice beige colour.

There were chirpings coming from outside the window, where the magnificent transparent curtains allowed light in. She stepped toward it and looked out, noticing that it was probably noon, or so. A bird sat on a branch near her tree, and quickly flew away when Dani took notice of it. She frowned before returning to sit on the bed. Soon, however, a light knock was at the door.

Dani stood and opened it, looking down at an adorable while rabbit with a huge pink ribbon.

"Hello, darling," the rabbit said, obviously a girl.

"Hello…" Dani said, a little nervously.

"I've just been told by a good little friend that you've awakened."

Dani raised her brows. _That's_ why the bird from outside flew away.

The rabbit took hold of Dani's hand and held it in both of her soft paws. "You must be famished! We've got a nice meal for you down in the kitchen; you'll love it, I must say. Our best cook prepared it for you, because, well, we _were _expecting to see you soon. I am Lyla, yes, you can call me that. I can help you with whatever you want, you see."

Dani grinned and felt herself blush as her stomach growled. "Well…yes, I'd like something to eat, thank you."

And so she followed Lyla the Rabbit down to the kitchen.

Dani tapped one foot as she sat in a cushiony chair, waiting for the royal members appeared to greet her. She had just finished a wonderful meal, perhaps the best she'd ever had. There were all sorts of dishes, like quail meat and all sorts of fish: fried, stewed, marinated. There was also rice, cranberries, fruits, cheese, wine, beef, and fried potatoes.

So she sat with a satisfied stomach, but she also felt as if the food would come up and end up on the nice marble floor when the large doors of the room opened.

Dani felt her face grow hot immediately, her cheeks turning rosy and her light freckles no longer perceivable. In came the four people she had once read about, those four children she had later learned to hate because of their luck of escaping the real world.

She knew right away whom each of them was. Lucy was just as tall as Susan, but her golden curls were loose and framed her round, cherub face beautifully, while her lean body was fitted in a blue gown of silk. She had jewels on her hands and a necklace on that held a small bottle with red liquid in it. Susan stood elegantly, and unlike the young appearance of her sister, she had a noticeable bust and sensuous curves in her tall figure. She had gorgeous, long and rich brown hair that hung just above her bottom and represented strings of silk. While Lucy's eyes were green, Susan had tense blue ones, lined with thick lashes. Both had rosy lips and lovely noses. They seemed so perfect.

The two boys also seemed beyond marvelous to look at. Peter stood, his golden hair shining in the light of the room, stopping slightly above the ears. He was the tallest among them, with broad shoulders and a powerful jawline. He looked more like Lucy, with lightly sun-golden skin and greenish eyes that sometimes resembled blue. It was as if some sort of aura circled his youthful appearance. Finally, there was Edmund. Unlike his older brother, his body was leaner, with long limbs and an athletic runner's body. His shoulders, although not as broad as Peter's, were starting to form him into a more manly looking fellow. He stood out from his siblings the most. Although his skin was fair like Susan's, his hair was a great deal darker, a shiny ebony shade. His eyes were also not light like his siblings, but were a dark chocolate colour with specks of light brown in them. He had thick black lashes and light freckles running over the bridge of his nose and a little on his cheeks. He seemed to be at the brink of becoming a man.

Susan spoke first.

"Welcome! Dani is your name, yes?" The Queen walked forward and Dani stood to shake her hand. The other royal members walked forward and also greeted her, saying "Hello" or "welcome" and "nice to see you made it safely."

"We've been waiting for ages, it seems!" Lucy blurted, laughing a little. "I mean, for you to come to Narnia, of course."

They all sat down on the other cushiony chairs to talk.

"Lucy, don't be so rude," Peter said, smiling slightly.

Susan shook her head and laughed. "Well, you're here now. How was the bed? The food?"

Dani didn't answer right away. Not because she didn't know what to say, but because she was in utter disbelief that she was sitting, chatting to fictional characters.

"The—the food was excellent," she finally managed.

"Oh, splendid! _I_ made sure our best cook, Henrick, made it for you. He's my favourite. No one can match him--"

"Lucy, maybe we should let _Dani_ talk a while, hmm?"

Peter sighed and said, not unkindly, "Well, I'm happy to hear that the food was well. But I'm sorry if this is a bit sudden, but might I ask why it is you are here?"

The others looked at Dani and nodded.

"Why…why I'm here?" Dani sat, her lips slightly apart. "I thought…I thought you were all _expecting _me."

"Yes, yes we were, "Susan said. "But we've no clue why on earth you were coming. We were just told that you'd be here, _eventually_."


	4. Bickering

Thanks for the positive reviews, everyone. I'm afraid my writing skills are really rusty and I've made quite a few mistakes in my previous chapters. I cringe at the sight, really. But I do hope you won't mind too much.

Oh, and, as a little note: This is a romance story too…I've yet to decide who falls in love with who though.

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Dani couldn't believe her ears. Her fingers twitched slightly as she clasped the arms of her chair. They didn't know why she was there? How were they expecting her? She shifted in her chair slightly and took a deep breath before finding the strength to speak.

"Why were you expecting me, then?" she finally asked, a little shakily. Dani watched as Edmund looked to Peter, Lucy to Edmund, and Susan to Peter. Peter, however, looked straight at Dani herself, which made her squirm a little. His gaze was not unkind, but it was penetrating somehow.

"We…well," Edmund began, his eyes focused on the ground while his brows furrowed in thought. "I don't think we ever really have heard any such news of your arrival, have we Peter?"

"No, no we haven't, _really._ I mean, not literally, that is…I don't know how to explain it." Peter sighed quietly.

"Oh, how odd," Susan muttered. The three older siblings were deeply confused, but Lucy boldly stepped forward and said rather loudly: "Does it really matter how on earth we were expecting her? What matters is that she is here, of course!" She took Dani by the hands and pulled her up to stand. "Now we've got to make sure you're properly dressed…your garments are so _odd._" Dani suddenly felt very embarrassed in her jean shorts and sweatshirt. "We'll be the best of friends! You're so pretty! And I've never seen hair like yours!"

Edmund and Susan laughed, but Peter turned around and exited the room. It grew silent.

"What's the matter with him?" Lucy finally said.

Susan tried to hide her downtrodden expression. "Oh, he's probably not feeling well. You know Peter when he's feeling sick."

"No, Peter is just being sore, as usual. Because he's the High King and he has to—"

"Oh Edmund, don't start bickering!"

"I'm not, but don't you think that was a bit rude?"

"He's got a lot on his mind."

"We've all got a lot on our minds. I've got to travel far west to settle some stupid dispute between the dwarves and the elves again, and I've also got to—"

"Edmund!"

Edmund stopped. Susan stood with a threatening expression on her face, and her appearance suddenly seemed to grow taller with majesty. "You may be a king, but do not forget who your elders are."

"I won't and I haven't."

"Very well."

Dani waited as another long silence ensued. They were all still standing. Then, Lucy turned to face Dani again and smiled sweetly.

"Like Peter, I'm not exactly sure how to explain it…but I know that we had some sort of connection…a connection between our worlds. I mean, we _felt _you somehow, and that's how Tilt knew where to find you. He felt it too. It's as if all of Narnia did…It's odd, but it felt as if we were waiting for years for you to come. Almost…almost the same way everyone seemed to be waiting for Aslan!"

"Lucy! How absurd! You shouldn't compare ANYONE to Aslan!" Susan hissed.

Lucy looked down and nodded. "How stupid of me. That is a stupid comparison."

Dani snorted. Aslan? The lion that was supposedly God or something…compared to her?

"It's alright, Lucy…Aslan was my favourite character in the books." She said it before thinking. The three royal members just stared.

"Books?"

"What books?"

"Aslan is in a book?"

Dani's lips were parted in utter befuddlement. "I--I mean, Aslan sounds like a wonderful…thing."

Awkward.

"Oh yes, he is!" Lucy cried, jumping up. "Now, let's get you a dress."


	5. Dressing up

Sorry for lack of updating. This chapter crappy, just for the sake of updating.

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The High King of Narnia, Peter, sat quietly in a huge, dimly lit room. The ceiling reached about 30 feet from the floor, and windows lined themselves on the west side, about 20 feet tall and 10 feet wide. Huge, heavy drapes with intricately designed details of vines embroidered upon them decorated these windows, hiding any light that would've peeked in from the outside. Hanging from the ceiling were dozens of small lamps, not quite big enough to be chandeliers, but distinguished enough to be considered more than mere candles hanging about. The carpets matched the drapes, a dark olive in color, while the linings were gold. The desk at which Peter sat at was made of cherry Mahogany, and was somewhat of a half circle. Upon it were fancy trinkets of all sorts: Gifts from travelers and visitors, letters from other high Lords from across the seas, ink bottles and quills, parchment and maps. It was a busy sight; the business of a king. Peter had his back leaned into his well cushioned chair, made only from the finest feathers in the land, while one of his hands tapped the arm of the chair slowly. He was tired, and the fatigue on his young face showed without mercy. His eyelids seemed to grow heavier, falling downwards and obscuring his vision, while his lips parted and his chest began to expand more widely. He was on the verge of sleep…

But then a loud slam stung his senses back into awareness. His younger brother had entered the room, briskly walking forward to make a huffy stop while crossing his arms. The dark hair he displayed seemed more tousled than usual, and his coal eyes shined with a sort of fury. Peter felt his own cheeks grow hot.

"What is it, Edmund?"

Edmund shifted and then sighed in exasperation. "You're asking me? No, no. That's what I was going to ask you. What is going on, Peter?"

Peter didn't answer right away, giving him a look as if he had no idea what his brother was getting at. But finally, as Peter usually did when Edmund confronted him, he gave in with a slow sigh. "Ed…Ed I don't like her."

Silence. Edmund did not expect that, not at all. His face contorted into such a look of confusion that Peter felt somewhat pitiful.

Finally, Edmund blinked and then shook his head. "Alright…what do you mean?" He unfolded his arms and then placed both hands on his waist, as if he were interrogating his older brother. "We've hardly talked to her…she's hardly said a thing. I mean, perhaps she dresses a little oddly, but that's to be expected…"

"No, no," Peter interrupted, a little angrily. "I mean…I feel something about her. Something wrong."

"You've got to be joking," Edmund laughed. "Everyone else feels as if Narnia has grown even more beautiful when she arrived! And we know that's not exactly possible. It's odd, a deep feeling of magic, but good magic, Peter! Lucy, Susan, me, the animals…we all feel happy."

Peter shifted uncomfortably in his chair. "I know…I felt that way too…until, well, until we actually talked to her. I just sort of…have a bad feeling." He shrugged. "I don't want to let the enemy in right under our noses."

Edmund smiled and shook his head. He should've known. Peter was always worrying for the sake of his kingdom, which made him Peter the Magnificent, after all. "Peter, you should just relax. Sorry for the bother." He winked and then turned around, leaving his older brother alone once again.

But Peter could not get back to sleep.

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Meanwhile, Lucy had Dani within her grasp, tearing about the corridors and entering her very own dressing closet filled with outfits of all sorts. Dani stood amazed at all the materials she witnissed. She had never seen such a wardrobe in her life. She couldn't even have imagined anything like it. There were colors of all sorts, even colors Dani didn't even seem to recognize at first. Some of the material shined so that the colors changed at different angles: sparkles and shimmers everywhere. But not only were there fancy, ballroom dresses, but there were also sun dresses, normal garbs, and battle/hunting attire.

"I know exactly what you should try on!" Lucy squealed, pulling out three dresses. They were all beautiful, but too much for Dani to bear.

"No…no really, I shouldn't."

"Oh, come now, do try them…for me? Please? What? Are they too big? You are a rather thin girl…but I think we're about the same."

Dani sighed and smiled. "Ok..I suppose…maybe just one."

Lucy laughed. "Ok…well, this dress," She motioned towards one with an amber, goldish color, "this dress looks rather bad on me, because of my complexion and hair." Dani found that hard to believe. "But you…you seem to have the perfect shade of brown hair and the prettiest skin for it…so this one it is."

Dani blushed and took it. "Ok…thank you."

Lucy didn't move. "Well, go on then, you best start. I've got to tie up your back, for the corset."

"Wait…A corset? What? Why?"

"Why? What do you mean? It's a corset! You must wear one. Of course. Go on."

Dani swallowed and shook her head. She then began to undress.

Edmund had been packing the materials needed for his trip to the far west to settle a dispute, when he heard a little knock at his door. Getting up from his seat, he walked over and opened it to a little beaver, who told him that luncheon was ready. Edmund nodded and thanked the beaver, heading outside for the food.


	6. Too Long

Wow.

It's been over a year since I've updated this. Yes, I left it behind. I'm not counting on my old reviewers to still notice this, not after this long…but if you have, and then I'd like to apologize for my inconsistency. Hopefully I can pick up from where I've left off. But forgive me on my probably very rusty writing skills.

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Dani stared at the reflection in the mirror. Her light hazel eyes were wide with horror, her lips slightly apart. She looked…_ridiculous. _The dress was gorgeous, of course, but she felt extremely frivolous. She had always been more of a tomboyish girl, and dresses always made her look odd and uncomfortable.

Lucy, however, thought otherwise. The blonde haired beauty pranced around Dani with a bright smile on her face, her golden ringlets bouncing up and down with her movement. "Ohhhhh! You look amazing! Simply wonderful. I wish my skin were more tan! I love this dress on you…" The young Queen spoke rapidly with joy and quickly rushed into a neighboring room with a lovely desk that had all sorts of odds and ends, all seeming to deal with magical plants, stones, or potions. She rummaged around for a piece of parchment and a quill, very quickly scribbling down a message. Dani watched as Lucy then opened a window and leaned outward to hand the note to a bird. The bird took off to deliver it.

The Queen had a very satisfied look on her face as she made her way back toward Dani. "I've just decided the colour tones that will be set for your custom outfits. I'm thinking earthly, but at the same time brightly glowing tones. Golds, olive greens, greyish blues, silvers…there are many, many options."

Dani didn't know how to reply and instead nodded and smiled. Her voice seemed to have given up on her once again.

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The dining hall could've easily fit a football field in it. There were three extremely long tables that were perhaps 30 ft in length, each made of a solid wood that Dani could not recognize. The girl could not help but gasp as she tried taking the sight in. Every moment she thought her eyes couldn't get wider, they somehow did. They felt as if they would soon pop out of the sockets from the overwhelming pressure and excitement gurgling within her.

The center table was the most beautiful, and she assumed that this one seated the Royal figures and more dignified guests. It was made of the same solid wood, cleanly polished, but had marble slab designing that blended magically with the wood. The chairs were all richly cushioned and huge. Beautiful, light glass wear stood shining in the shimmering lights that pooled down from the 40 or more chandeliers that hung from the ceiling. Dani nearly gasped again when she saw that the ceiling was probably 70 feet upwards with beautiful paintings on it. It reminded her of Michelangelo's art adorning the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, but this, in her mind, outshone Michelangelo's work by a milestone. Like the Sistine Chapel's painting, this one consisted of many stories and lots of movement; several creatures, The Pevensie children, and the huge, muscular golden lion, Aslan appeared in different scenes.

The dining hall also contained what seemed to be dancing space, which is why the room was so big. This was where the large dinner parties were held…Dani imagined ballroom dancers swiftly floating across the marble flooring, music playing, people laughing…

Lucy giggled from behind Dani and slightly nudged the amazed girl's back. "Go on, have a seat…aren't you hungry again?"

Dani snapped her attention back to reality and blushed profusely. She realized how imbecilic she must've appeared whilst standing like a dolt and staring at the room in front of 3 Royal Highnesses. Peter was not there yet. Lucy sighed and looked from Edmund, who sat at one end of the table, to Susan, who sat at the other. They were practically 30 feet apart. "Can we please have a smaller table, here?" The youngest queen said. She then snapped her fingers and the table instantly refigured itself into a table that was about 6 feet long instead. Dani gaped.

Lucy motioned Dani to a seat across from Edmund, so she sat down He looked too beautiful for words. She stared at him for a moment, wondering how a person that stunning could be sitting right in front of her. His hair was glossy and every strand was in perfectly tousled arrangement while his dark chocolate eyes shone miraculously from their ebony lashed framing. His smiled at Dani, who then looked away in embarrassment.

_He knows how remarkably breath- taking he i_s, she thought. _They all know how gorgeous they are…it's almost sickening._

"Where is Peter?" Susan's voice echoed slightly as she said this, a crease forming between her brow.

Edmund shrugged, rolling his eyes. Lucy bit her lip and looked stricken down.

They waited for a good 10 minutes until Edmund stood up, frustrated. His large eyes did not hide any of the angered emotions that that he felt, and he crossed his wiry arms over his chest. "Well _this_ is grand."

"Oh Edmund-" Lucy began, only to be cut off by her brother.

"I _knew_ he was going to do this. How rude! Just because he doesn't-" He stopped abruptly, not finishing his sentence.

Susan raised a dark eyebrow. "Doesn't _what_, Edmond?"

Edmund sighed and looked away angrily. "Nothing," he huffed. His voice was deep and extremely throaty.

Dani spoke before realizing what she had said. "He doesn't like me." She didn't know why she blurted it…it was so sudden and she wasn't even planning on it.

The siblings stared at Dani for a moment and then all broke out into exasperated responses.

"What? What makes you think that?"

"No, noooo, that's not it!"

"Don't be silly."

"He has no reason-"

"He's just tired…"

Dani looked at her feet that snuggled into a pair of beautiful dress shoes. She heard quick footsteps and a loud slam.

Edmond left the room.

Dani looked up and saw Lucy put her face in both hands and shake her head.

Susan left soon after Edmond.

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* * *

"It's about time she made an appearance."

"Indeed. We've been waiting too long."

A spindly arm with a thin, large hand and long, bony fingers glided into the light from the shadow that consumed it.

"_Yes_. We have."

* * *


	7. An Odd Encounter

Wow. I'm glad to see that some people are still reading this. D Anyways, I think I've decided on a basic plot…it's pretty dark stuff though, and it'll get complicated. I don't have it all figure out, mind you…I do thingsmostly as I go along.

* * *

Also, WHAT ROMANCES do you guys like??? Let me know…I'll see what I will do.

And sorry for grammatical/spelling errors.

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Edmond paced within his study chamber, his large hands placed firmly on his waist as he did so. He wore a silver tunic with golden and emerald embroidery and a gray bag straddled across his shoulders. His silver boots were tight-fitting and his hands were fitted with matching silver gloves.

A soft thud sounded, and Edmond said, "Yes, come in."

A short, stout raccoon dressed in green slacks entered with a scroll in paw. "Your Highness, Queen Lucy asks to see you."

Edmond sighed and rolled his eyes. Lucy let royalty get to her head sometimes. He didn't think it necessary for her to send messengers to do her bidding instead going to see him herself.

Nodding to the raccoon, Edmond swiftly exited his study and made his way to Lucy's chamber.

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Lucy placed a golden crescent-shaped pin into Dani's pixie locks, sighing as she clipped it on gingerly. She and Dani sat on the Queen's gigantic bed that adorned itself with frivols and lace, both at a loss for words and both feeling quite down trodden. Dani fiddled with a long piece of soft, lavender ribbon as she thought of the dinner they didn't quite have. Of course they had sent food up to the rooms individually, afterwards, but she hardly ate any of it. Her stomach was troubled at the thought of Peter not approving of her. .

One of Lucy's large doors swung open as Edmund briskly walked in, a look of annoyance painted on his face before turning to slight surprise when he saw that Dani was there as well. Lucy quickly got off her bed and stood in front of Edmond. Dani watched them both stare at each other for a moment, completely silent. They almost seemed to be communicating with their eyes.

Edmond then turned to look at Dani. "Dani, would you like to accompany on a small quest?" His voice was kind, but rough at the same time.

Lucy took a step forward, "What? Edmond! I asked to speak with you to-"

"Alright, Lucy. I'm here. We can speak now."

Lucy frowned. "But why did you ask Dani to go with you on your duty? That seems off topic and a little bold. She must still be tired from her journey here."

Edmund shrugged. "I want to get to know her a little better. Also, she needs to get some things out of her mind. I think seeing Narnia's beautiful lands would do her some good." He triumphantly smiled as he saw Lucy's face resign in defeat. "Anyhow, what was it you wanted to speak to me about?"

Lucy fiddled with the silver rope belt that spiraled around her waist. "Well…I know you've talked to Peter, and I think we have every right to know what it is you spoke about. _And_ to know where he is."

Edmond's dark brows rose visibly in surprise. Lucy was not the sort to ask about such things; It was usually Susan who did this. He had always counted on his younger sister to allow privacy between others. "Why…I don't know what you're talking about. I spoke to Peter shortly after Dani arrived…but he didn't say anything."

Lucy knew her brother was lying. She could tell. She had a stronger connection with Edmond than any of her other siblings, and she felt personally offended.

"Alright," she said, her voice cold and unwavering. She turned to Dani. "Now, let's find you some proper clothes so that you can go with Edmund."

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A soft, feathery laugh quietly resounded in the darkness. "I didn't expect her to be so…_innocent_ looking. She's disguised well. So _very_ well."

Another laugh echoed, this one louder and rougher. It was a man's voice. "Yes, she is. But what did you expect from the Great One? She has intricately woven the web of fate since the beginning of time to wage a war against Him. Against the One who broke away from Her love."

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It was cool outside and the stars were beginning to light up the clear sky. Two horses and a jaguar waited near the palace gates as Edmond and Dani made their way toward them. Both horses had custom straddles that were made out of a soft, rubbery material that almost seemed like liquid. This assured maximum comfort for both the rider and horse.

"Dani, this is Raydin, Drakron, and Silfen." Edmond pointed first to the larger of the two horses first, then the other horse, and lastly the jaguar.

"Uh, hello…"

Raydin, who was a huge, well built steed with a steely gray coat seemed to neigh with laughter. "Hello, Dani. Welcome to Narnia."

The smaller horse, a light brown one with a softer build neighed lightly as well. "Yes, welcome. I shall be your steed for this journey."

The jaguar purred but did not say anything.

"Silfen will be coming with us for protection purposes…as well as tracking," Edmond said. He placed a hand on Silfen and the large cat wagged its tail joyfully.

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They had been traveling through the night for a few hours, at a slow pace, mainly because Edmund told Dani stories of his travels in Narnia, and of animals and battles and all sorts of things. Although it was night time, there were so many stars out that it was not dark out. Everything was visible as they rode.

It would take them a couple more hours to get to a small village where they would sleep the rest of the night before heading on at dawn.

"So…" Dani said as Drakron trotted alongside Raydin. "Why is he so quiet?" She motioned toward he jaguar, who was steadily walking a few feet ahead of them.

"Oh, Silfen? She's mute." He sadly looked at the feline.

"She's female…sorry, I didn't realize." So the cat was mute…that explained it. It saddened Dani a bit.

"It's alright. So, Dani…What's it like where you're from?"

They had entered a thick forest now, and just beyond it was the village. Unlike the clear plains, the forest was dark and blocked out the glowing stars. They used lanterns instead.

Dani didn't answer right away, but when she did, she tried explaining it with as much detail as possible. He blankle stared at her as if she were crazy.

"Well, _you _came from there _too_ you know," Dani said in defense. Edmund laughed.

The conversation abruptly ended as Drakron jolted backwards onto his hind legs, neighing in fright and anger as something jumped out from behind a huge tree. Silfen was gone in an instant with a flurry of hisses and growls. Dani held on tightly as Drakron jumped about—there was something grasping onto the horse's tail! The girl tried to kick the culprit away but instead felt a vice-like grip grab hold of her ankle and whip her off. She came crashing violently onto the ground.

She couldn't see straight, for she had hit her head pretty hard on the fall. She felt herself being carried before losing consciousness.

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_"Make sure you give her some more of this…"_

_"Yes, thank you very much."_

_"Her bleeding seems to have stopped, but what about your injuries, your Highness?"_

_"I'm fine. __Really."_

"Ed—Edmund?" Dani groaned as she struggled to sit up. She was lying on a bed made out of rock with cushions on top, and that was surprisingly comfortable.

She saw a small ferret standing beside the King, and several other rodent-like creatures in the room.

"Dani!" Edmund walked quickly to Dani's bedside and knelt. "You're feeling alright?"

"I…I think. Well. I'm…cold." She shivered as she said this.

Dani could've sworn Edmund's cheeks redden for a moment. "They had to undress you to tend to your wounds. But you should be able to dress soon enough."

Dani's eyes grew wide and she looked down at her chest that was only covered with an under shirt. Her face grew intensely hot as she grabbed the sheets up to her chin, looking down. "Oh…I…I didn't realize."

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After Dani had been redressed, she found Edmund speaking with Drakron outside of the little cottage she had been taken to. The horse had a bloody bandage wrapped around his tail.

"Oh, Dani…hello," Drakron greeted. "It was brave of you to try and kick the changeling off of me. I thank you for your efforts."

Dani noticed that they had made it into the village beyond the forest. How long had Edmund carried her?

"Oh…It didn't help," Dani said. "Anyways, did you say… a changeling?"

"Yes, they're nasty things," Edmund answered. "They nearly went extinct for the past century…I've no idea why we saw so many tonight. It's _odd."_

Drakron nodded. "Yes. It _is_ odd. Come to think of it, I believe I saw a huge flock of Dark Griffins a fortnight ago. I thought we had taken care of the last of them as well…"

Edmund frowned. Dark creatures were always present, but not in such abundant numbers. Not since Aslan's return.

He bit his lower lip, his eyes showing a faint sign of worry.

"We need to find Peter."


End file.
